Echoes
by Just Jamie
Summary: Set at the end of the Doctor's 13th life. Old friends and foes join the Timelord for one last adventure. This is my first fan fiction. Please be kind LOL.
1. Chapter 1

Prelude...

It was the end of time, literally. The few remaining stars in the cosmos sputtered and spiralled into the all consuming abyss. As one red giant flew on its deathward spiral, it passed the most incongruous object, a 20th century British police telephone box.

In the console room of the TARDIS an old man stared at the scanner array as he saw star after star leap towards its doom.  
"So beautiful, even in death!" He said to the empty control centre. "Even after 2347 years in this cosmos, you still find ways to astound me don't you? His voice little more than a whisper echoed around the interior of the unfathomably large room. His question did get an answer of sorts as he saw a binary star set fly off, still circling each other like lovers on a stroll and then vanish into the arms of the oblivion.

"Well, thats enough sight seeing old girl. time to go back to the end of things I suppose" He moved to the dematerialisation controls of the craft and flicked a switch. The groaning noise grew and reached a crescendo as the police box vanished from the gaping maw of darkness.

As the Tardis took him on what was possibly his last voyage as master of the ship, he rested in his high backed chair, a personal gift from a dear friend by the name of Rennie MacKintosh. He opened his diary at a day marked in Red and stared at a list. "Time I suppose to assemble the guests, I hope they have nothing else planned." He smirked, "how likely is that? An ordinary day? Or one final flight with a dear old friend?" He couldn't envision any of them turning down the invitation.

Part 1.

London, 1979.

"Do you believe in fate? Well do you? I have to now, as if we hadn't both been deathly curious about that girl, we would just have gone on being colleagues and we would never have gotten anywhere near to where we are now". Ian Chesterton looked down as his wife of 10 years looked back, love glowing in her eyes like burning embers. She smiled at him, and still that smile made him melt. He gazed back and continued, "we have seen so many things together, almost all of which no one else in this room would believe. And my love for her still grows each time I look at her." She began to cry, If Ian had any thought that they were sad tears he would have stopped and comforted her, but still she smiled as he knew she was remembering everything with crystal clarity, just as he was. "We fell in love in another time and place, but to this day I feel as though it is so new to me. To the rest of our lives, my darling Barb!" he raised his glass towards her and smiled with a warmth that could burn through the depths of space.

"To Ian and Barbara" the guests shouted, mixed with cheers and awws from all quarters. Barbara stood beside her husband and touched her glass to his and kissed him.

Fifteen minutes after Ian's passionate speech, he and barbara were mingling among the 50 strong group of friends and family, invited to the party. As one they caught sight of the old man, standing stock still, staring at them both with a wry smile on his face. "Can I help you?" Asked Barbara, slightly concerned that such an old man should be out alone, not to mention standing in the middle of a private party. But concern for his well being was the first thought in her head.

"You always did try to put others first didn't you my dear?" The old mans smile deepened "You always felt you had to protect all of us, even by putting yourself in danger, but your stalwart hero was always there as well to guard you from harm." his smile turned to Ian who smiled in return.

So we know you? You seem to think you know us"

"Oh but I do my boy! I do. I know so much more about you that even you don't know, yet." The cryptic use of the word "yet" rang bells in Ians mind.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"Exactly! Good to see you as sharp and aware as ever." The smile grew deeper in the mans face. "I almost wore the coat the Thals gave me, so that you would remember me more easily. But then I thought, no, Ian is a smart boy he'll work it out. and if not, his charming wife most assuredly would."

Barbara immediately threw herself at the man who was no longer a stranger to her, well no less a stranger than he had been so long ago. "Doctor is it really you?" Ian was too stunned to move. "Doctor" cried Barbara. "you look well for age."

"Better than you know miss Wri, err Mrs Chesterton. I am here to offer my heartsfelt congratulations on your anniversary, and to perhaps proffer an invitation to you both."

"Doctor, my God.." Ian started, " It's been too long, far too long for someone who possesses a time machine anyway. How are you? What have you been doing since we last saw you?"

"The answer to the latter question is simple. More than you could imagine. In answer to your first question, I am dying"

Part 2

London 2076

The rebuilding was continuing apace. In parts of the city you could never have told that only a decade or so ago, the world was ruled by the Daleks, th most malevolent force in the Galaxy. But since their defeat at the hands of a mysterious group of time travellers and their allies, the world had begun rebuilding. There was still rubble of course. Travel for 5 minutes in any direction and you could find a trace of the occupation, if you looked for it. There were so many memorials now, to those who died resisting the Daleks. "It was strange", thought the woman walking down the street, "for a race that has always been on the verge of self annihilation, these humans built the most beautiful and poignant memorials with inscriptions like, 'Never again' and 'Lest we forget' and then they go and find someone else to fight and have to build more memorials. It's senseless in a way".

Susan continued walking, It was all she could do, she carried an air of sadness with her and in her hand a piece of paper, the source of the sadness. He had done it. He had divorced her. "I can't blame him", she thought to herself. "How did I expect him to react when I told him that it was possible I could outlive our great great great great grandchildren and still not be middleaged." Her Grandfather had tried to warn her when he came to the wedding, he had regenerated by then, he had still had the white hair, but he was taller, far taller and leaner than she had remembered him, but he was still Grandfather, and nothing would change that.

He had told her "Til death do us part, is a much longer commitment for us, than them, you must bear that in mind Susan." It was only now, five years later that the words really hit home. Death for her was Millenia away, for her husband, sorry ex-husband it was a matter of decades. She put her hand in her pockets as a chill wind blew down the near deserted streets. Her hand tightened around a piece of oddly shaped metal in one of the pockets. The Tardis key Grandfather had given her. She took it out of the pocket and looked at it and a sad smile crossed her lips, "Happier times!" She thought of her travels more and more frequently now. She had nothing left for her here. Because of the demands for weapons, she had resigned as head of the science and technology ministry and found herself with more free, "time, hah" than she knew how to fill.

She turned a corner and almost ran headlong into someone, She apologised and walked on without even looking up.

"Well some might say that was rude Miss Foreman." The voice, and the use of her old assumed name jolted her. she turned to see who had called her by a name she had not used in many a year. She looked into the smiling face of her old travelling companion/friend/history teacher.

"Miss Wright? But how can you be here? It's impossible, its..." She stopped, the words refused to form on her lips. She just ran to the woman and hugged her, not caring how she came to be here, just happy that she was.

"It's Mrs Chesterton now, Susan." Barbara said. "And your grandfather brought us in the Tardis. He needs to speak to you, it's... It's important, he needs to tell you something."

"What? Why couldn't he come himself to fetch me?"

"Just come to the Tardis Susan. I think he should explain everything. It's something he needs to tell you." Barbara took Susans hand and led her to an alleyway, and there in the shadows was a familiar and welcome sight. The Tardis. Susan held out her key and put it into the lock...

To be continued...


	2. Chapter 2

ECHOES PART 2.5

"You're Dying?" Barbara looked at the wizened face, and stared deep into the Doctors eyes. She could still see the flames in there, they had always been there. Bright and glowing with great intelligence.

"It's a fire that never fades my dear," the Doctor said as he looked back at Barbara with smile on his lips and in his eyes. "I have lived far longer than I had any right to. I have thrown myself, deliberately in harms way so many times, I thought I would have gone down this final path so long ago. Just goes to show, even I don't know everything eh?" 

Ian still stunned by the Doctors sudden reappearance and almost physically struck by his announcement, just said, "but you look so... well." He knew instantly it was the wrong thing to say, the Doctor always hated glip platitudes. As the doctor turned his gaze on him, he knew he was in for a rant.

"Why thank you Chesterton, that is perhaps the nicest thing anyone has said to me in a long while." The Doctors smirk was unnecesary, the sarcasm was clearly marked in his voice. "Now come on, even I don't have time for dilly dallying, I have to find my Granddaughter, and a few others, before the ceremony begins." He began walking away, turned his head slightly and said simply "Well, are you going to let an old man go on a potentially dangerous trip, all on his own?"

Ian and Barbara looked at each other "Barbados can wait I suppose." Said barbara, as she stepped behind the Doctor. Ian shrugged and followed suit.

After a few hurried goodbyes to friends and excuses about "early flights, you know how it is?" Ian, Barbara and the Doctor set off out of the suite, rented for their special occasion. When they reached the lobby, there was a commotion. Someone had called the police to report the sudden appearance of a police telephone box right next to the check in desk, Ian smiled, "Always did land in the most inconspicuous places, good to see that hasn't changed." As the trio approached the Tardis one of the police officers tried to stop them, the Doctor glared at him, and the man stopped dead in his tracks. "Thats a new trick Doctor, could have used that when we were travelling together regularly." The doctor half snorted, half laughed at the comment, as he put the Tardis key in the lock and opened the door.

You've re-decorated Doctor!" Barbara said as she entered the console room. She looked around, awe struck at the Gothic architecture and apparently endless cloisters that ran off in all directions, and there in the middle of it all, was the console, not exactly how Barbara remembered it, now it was aglow with blue light like captured lightning pulsing around the console. "Wow" was all she could think to say.

As the Doctor approached the controls and started pushing the pressure sensetive controls, Ian, who had just finished a complete scan of the room (if it could be called that) "Uhm Doctor, just one question. If you're taking us to a ceremony where it is your intention to die, how will we get back to where and when, we belong?"

"Hmmm?" Said the Doctor, as he hit another switch and the familiar noise of the Tardis Dematerialising filled the air. "Oh don't you worry about that! The Timelords will make sure you get back hale and Hearty for your 'second honeymoon'"

"The who?"

End of 2.5

Earth

New London

"Why didn't grandfather come himself?" Was all that Susan could ask as she walked beside her one time teacher. Then she realised, "Is something wrong? Is he regenerating? No, that would come naturally, there could be no problems with the regen proccess, and even in the unlikely event of regen crisis, there's the zero room in the Tardis. I'm yammering aren't I? I know I am, it happens when I get nervous now."

Barbara smiled, but the smile never quite reached her eyes. "The Doctor's... Well he's fine, at the moment, he's just a little tired, so I volunteered to come fetch you. He can't wait to see you again, you've become such a beautiful young woman." Susan blushed, she couldn't help herself. "How's David?" The question, THE question, she had been dreading since she saw Barbara again, how does she tell one of her dearest friends...

"He left me last year." Blunt and to the point. "He couldn't handle the fact that some time in the not so distant future, he would die, and I at worst would regenerate 12 times and outlive him by millenia."

"Oh! Right. Sorry Susan, I truly am. I know you loved him. You still do don't you? Otherwise you wouldn't still be so hurt by it? Ah here's the Tardis" Barbara silently thanked any Gods who were listening for the reason to change the subject, she took the Tardis key out of her pocket, but Susan put her hand on hers to stop her.

"Allow me? I went back the following day and got my own key back from where I dropped it, I called it a memento of a former life." Susan turned the key in the lock and entered the craft. The darkness of the console room caught her a little off guard at first, but her eyes quickly adapted. There was the console, glittering with moving lights and throbbing with controlled power. There too was Ian, she practically ran to embrace another of her teachers from the past. As she pulled away from Ian she noticed the frail form in the high backed chair, he looked so old, not just his form, but his spirit as well. How much time had passed for him? A hundred, a thousand years? She really didn't care. She was home, with the only real family she had. 

"Grandfather. She knelt beside the chair, the old man opened his tired eyes and let them rest upon his granddaughter. She smiled, as did he. "Oh Grandfather, how are you? You don't look at all well, we need to get you to your room and you can rest properly." The Doctors gaze intensified, as Susans began to go out of focus. The telepathic communication was made so fast, Susan could barely catch her breath. Then, as quickly as it had begun, it was over. Susan knew everything now, she knew where, and more importantly, when, the Tardis needed to be. Who to collect and why and then, well, then, not even HE knew that.

Susan hugged her Grandfather tightly and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She stood up and turned towards the console and began deftly manipulting the controls.

"Where are we headed now? Susan? Are you all right?"

Yes Ian, I'm fine. My Grandfather just told me everything I needed to know, we have a few more trips to make, and then we will be heading to Galiffrey, our home planet, where before he dies, my Grandfathers memories will be downloaded into the Pantropic net, where in essence at least, he will live forever. But first we need to make a stop a few hundred years ago, to pick up another old friend, just in the nick of time."

"What do you mean, 'just in the nick of time'?"

"Well, we're going to pick up a young highlander, from an English encampment, on a little field called Culloden..."

Part 4

Welcome to Scotland

A lone Highlander approached the English encampment, he moved not stealthily as if ready for an attack, but loudly as though to attract attention. It worked. Four redcoats approached him, pistols drawn and aimed straight at the highlander. "I am Jamie McCrimmon of the clan McCrimmon, and I have come to talk to your commander." The Englishmen were shocked to say the least at the savages grasp of the english language, but still they stood their ground.

"Why, do you want to see the Captain?" One of the Redcoats ventured, "to kill him?"

"Of course!" Jamie laughed. "Honestly would I walk in here without even a claymore, ask to speak to your captain, if I had any intention of killing him? Well would I? I'm no as daft as I look ye' Ken. I've come to discuss terms for surrender."

The redcoats were again taken aback by the highlander, "surrender? Is that even a word you people understand?"

"I understand a lot o' things yah eejit. Like starvation, and cold and, well, Peace." The redcoats looked at each other, not sure what to do.

"Bring him forward" a voice boomed from further inside the camp. "I want to talk to the intelligent savage, and of course, discuss the terms of his surrender." A tall man was sillhouetted against the flames of the fire. "I am Captain Tonbridge, welcome to our camp, Mr McCrimmon. come sit, talk with me."

Jamie approached and took measure of the man. He was a full head taller than himself, but Jamie had taken down bigger and better in his time. "Oh aye, captain. Thank you, I know you;ve no reason to trust any o' us, but I am here in a sincere attempt to find peace. Myself and five others in this area want the fighting to stop. Now." 

"Well, sit then and we shall talk, May I call you Jamie or must I call you Mr McCrimmon all night?" Jamie nodded. "Very well Jamie, what terms do you propose?" Jamie reached his hands over the flames of the fire and crouched down.

"I think, the best way to bring peace back to my country is for everyone who does not belong here to go home!" Jamie said pointedly at the captain. He smiled when he saw the look on the face of Captain Tonbridge, as he pulled his skien dubh from it's traditional position at the top of his sock. Before the captain could move or say a word, the knife was in his chest. The other redcoats ran raising their guns as they came and suddenly there was thunder all around. "right on time" said Jamie. There was a battle cry rising around the camp as twenty highlanders stormed the camp trampling everything, and everyone in their way.

The fight, if you could call it that was over swiftly and the highlanders were victorious. They began ransacking the camp, for weapons, food, blankets. Anything they could carry. They stopped when they heard the noise. Like a distressed cow in labour, but it got louder and louder. Panic gripped them, but Jamie felt a surge of excitement. A memory he couldn't quite grasp of times that never happened. "Could the dreams have been true after all?" As silence fell, a shape had appeared in the middle of the camp. A shape that Jamie remembered well. A friend had returned.

The Tardis door opened and an unfamiliar figure appeared. A woman, Jamie grabbed the pistol that once belonged to Captain Tonbridge. "Who are you? Where is the Doctor? What have you done to him?"

"Easy Jamie, I'm right here." An old man exited the Tardis after the mysterious woman. "This is my granddaughter Susan. Susan, this is Jamie. Now Jamie, I don't want to panic you, so just put the gun down. You know how much I dislike them. Now be at peace." And all of a sudden Jamie was. He was so relaxed in fact, that the pistol slipped from his hand and fell to the ground. The old man reached his hand out to Jamie and touched his temple with his index finger and said "Remember". And Jamie did. He remembered everything, Daleks, Cybermen, yetis, and Sontarans.

"Doctor? Ye've changed again? Can ye no choose a face and stick to it? It's getting awffy confusin' ye know?" 

The Doctor smiled, "come on Jamie, we have one last trip to go on."

End of Part 4...

London  
The Dorchester Hotel  
2004

"I do hope I'm not boring you?" The man spoke in a brusque but strangely warm tone. All heads in the room turned to look at Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge Stewart (retired), former head of the UN's ultra top secret 'alien fighting force' as one home secretary had been heard to joke, just before he was mysteriously demoted in a cabinet reshuffle. 

"This reunion is such a fine affair, so many old friends here, with whom I have lost much contact through the years, Mr Yates, General Benton, Miss Shaw, Miss Grant all of you, and those who could not attend today, Miss Smith sends her apologies, but she has a story to follow in South America, and well, Who knows where The Doctors are, with his knack for changing appearance, he could be one of the waiters and we'd never know." This comment brought waves of laughter from the group. "Well, we're all here now, and thanks to the freedom of information act, damn it to balzes, we are all celebrities. I don't know about any of you, but I'd rather be in a shopping mall full of Autons, than face a rampaging horde of media halfwits." Again laughter..

"Here here," came a voice from the middle of the room, Lethbridge Stewart didn't need to see the owner of the voice, to know it was...

"Thank you Doris for your contribution. My lovely and patient wife Doris, She make look timid, but let me tell you about the time she met a reporter from 'the Sun, raking through our rubbish, she grabbed a garden rake and..." He could feel the heat from Doris's glare, that he could pinpoint her in the group even with the lights so dim. "Ah well, thats a story for another time, when Doris isn't around," More laughter, even from Doris, he could hear her with such clarity, through the crowd and the background noise. ""Well, you probably have heard all you want to of my voice for the night, so lets get on with this party eh?" As he walked down from the stage he was slapped on the shoulder by old friends, and compatriots, and received a hug from miss Grant.

"That was a great speech, Brig. Brought a tear to my eye." she joked as she hugged him. She released him and the look on his face must have let out what he was thinking, "sorry, i meant Brigadier." She smiled again

That was when it all started. The ground shook under them, and a thunderous explosion filled their ears. Windows shattered, walls tore like paper, and all Lethbridge Stewart could think of was...

"Doris!"

Heathrow Airport  
England

"Miss Jovanka? This way please." The tall man led the way into a small office, there was another man at the other side of a desk, leafing through some papers. "Please, take a seat." Tegan sat, on the chair in the middle of the room, facing the two men. "So Miss Jovanka, you are applying for the position of head steward? May I just ask, why?"

Tegan was ready for this one, "I feel, I'm ready for the challenge of being in charge of a flight crew. I think you'll find I have an exemplary record for handling both staff and passengers with a high degree of tact and professionalism."

"Tact and professionalism? Yes, I see your last two senior attendants have stated that you managed to defuse potential air rage incidents on three seperate occasions. Yes, your record over the past couple of years has been exemplary... But, I can see from our records that you disappeared on two occasions, for periods ranging from 8 months on the first occasion, to 3 years on the second. We have a report though, from a former concorde pilot that your assistance was vital, when, when..." He stopped, he actually started reading the report, and couldn't believe his eyes. "You have been granted alpha 4 clearance by the united nations intelligence task force? How did? No don't tell me, I probably wouldn't want to know. Well, we have your resume, and we will be in touch. You are staying with a friend in London, yes?" Tegan nodded, "fine as I said, we will be in touch."

Tegan took that to be a dismissal, as she stood up she smiled, it was a wan smile and she knew it. She wasn't going to get the job. "I'll get a call when you've reached a decision?" One of the nameless interviewers nodded. His colleague grunted as he continued to read through the classified report. As soon as Tegan was out of the office she started to fume. "Bloody idiots! If I get a call or a letter saying I'm unreliable, I'll be back here to deck somebody," She continued walking until she almost walked past her car. She climbed in and turned the key in the ignition, as she drove off, she thought about the contents of the report the pencil neck was reading right now and smirked.

Some time later she pulled into the driveway of her friends house, it was good to be 'home'. "Welcome mistress." K9 said from inside the small garage. "Did your attempt to gain more challenging employment go well mistress?"

"No K9, I don't think it did. They were a pair of idiots. Is Sarah home yet?"

"Negative, mistress Sarah, has not returned, but she has left a message on the telephonic recording device." 

"The what? Oh the answering machine? OK." Tegan, walked past K9 through the adjoining door from the garage to the main house. She hit the play button on the answering machine as she passed.

"Tegan? Are you there, it's Sarah. There's big trouble. I can't get through to any of my UNIT contacts, I don't know, they might all be dead already." Tegan stopped pouring herself a drink and focussed on the message. "I've found out, there is something big going down. The terrorist cell I infiltrated was contacted by some kind of Mastermind, they're trying to bring down UNIT, get to the reunion, I left the invitation on the coffee table, go warn them..." The message ended. Not that Tegan was there to hear the end of it anyway. She had picked up K9 and and was jogging to the car...

to be continued


	3. Chapter 3

U.N.I.T. HQ UK

Location Classified

"Lieutnenant McShane! Lieutenant, we've got a situation. There are casualty reports coming from all over. The reunion's been hit as well." The private stood outside the command room, looking nervous, he had run all the way from the comms room three floors below.

Ace stood up from behind her desk, "I know." She had just turned off the radio before the private barged in, but she wanted to keep an air of mystery. She had learned from the best. The private looked stunned. "I want all available forces on full tactical alert, we need to be able to move asap. Get me a line direct to General Davies in Geneva. I'll probably need to talk to the minister, which one have we got this week? Lambert or something like that, get her on the line too. We'll need her clearance before mobilising. Get the field medics ready, Sullivan and that American, Holloway should be in the med-bay, get them up to speed and ready to go five minutes ago private." 

Private Eccleston was new to the job, Ace knew it, but she had faith in him. She had to. She picked up the phone as it started ringing, "Yes General, we'll be ready to roll as soon as the clearance is given by the MOD. Yes sir, we can be in London, in fifteen, with or without traffc on the M25. Yes sir, I know. I'll get them out." She put the phone down, Ace liked Davies, he backed down from no one and said exactly what was on his mind. A rare quality in some military bigwigs these days. The phone rang again, she picked it up once more. "Ms Lambert, thankyou for responding so quickly.. No at the moment we are not sure of the reason for the attack, but it seems clear that we are the targets. No there is no indication as to who, or what is behind it, but we will find out. Thankyou, yes we will keep you updated." Ace immediately hit the tannoy switch. "We have clearance. All units condition Red. This is not a drill, we are heading for London, maximum levels of security, we don't know who we'll be facing, or even what we'll be facing. Move people." Outside the door of her office she could hear booted feet running, "God I love my job sometimes". She herself began walking to the garage, but at Ace's normal walking pace, she found she was still overtaking some of the slower men. 

The garage was ablaze with lights as soldiers were packing for war. Grenade and rocket launcers, e.m. pulse rifles, gold guns, and lots and lots of armour piercing bullets. Sir, your staff car is ready." Ace had to smile to herself whenever private Bambera called her sir. Ace got into the car and it got moving almost immediately. A convoy formed behind it as all the vehicles began moving towards the distant lights of London.

"OK, we're clear, hit it." Ace loved this bit. The driver of the staff car pressed a button on the dashboard and suddenly they were driving forwards in speeds in excess of 240 mph. The tech boys had only recently managed to work Bessie out, but once they had, it was pretty easy for them to add her enhancements to all unit vehicles. London, just became a hell of a lot closer.

They arrived at the blast site in record time. The emergency services were quickly drafted in to help out, but they were under no illusions, this was a UNIT operation. "Have we got anyone out yet?" yelled Ace to one of the paramedics, he nodded and motioned to her to come over. Ace practically ran to him, and saw on the stretcher, General Benton, bruised and battered, but still conscious and struggling to get up. On another stretcher just feet away, a motionless figure lay, covered in a blanket. Ace stepped over and pulled the cover away. Sgt Grade, she couldn't have said she liked him, but even he didn't deserve this. He had been on guard duty, hadn't done his job obviously. But Ace put thoughts like that to the back of her mind as she focussed on the job in hand. "Sullivan! You know this man, calm him down, we're doing everything we can, he's in no condition to help out." Harry ran over and took one look at Benton, and the General, who outranked him several times over, resignedly gave up the struggle. 

"Right, I want search and rescue teams formed and in there now! I want three squads to secure the immediate area, and trust me, if I see one camera within 100 meters of me, I'll have the balls of the man who let it happen." Ace watched as the men scurried to do her bidding, she would have smiled but there were more pressing things on her mind right now. "What the hell?" Ace turned as she heard a car screech to a stop, just feet away from her. But before she could shout at anyone a woman jumped out of the car with what looked like a robotic dog, of all things.

"K9, any lifesigns?" Tegan asked.

"I am detecting 138 human lifesigns within the building, some however are very weak." K9 was motionless, with his antenna protruding from the front of his snout. "I am also detecting residuals from the explosive device."

"What did that thing say? You can detect the explosive residue?" shouted Ace.

"Affirmative. Running chemical analysis now." K9 began to whir as his computer checked all the records he had, looking for the answers he knew were needed. "Chemical identified. Chemical formula listed in Tardis databanks as Dalekanium."

JFK Airport  
New York 

"Damn it." Sarah was looking at the departure board and saw that the connecting flight to Gatwick had been delayed, by an hour. She began to pace the walkway in front of the board, like a caged animal. "I hope Tegan got the message and managed to warn them." She was still pacing when she heard the noise. Quietly at first, then louder, and louder still. There seemed to be lightning inside the airport, Sarah was looking for the source. People were running, scared by the noise and the lights. Sarah stood stock still and waited. Then, it was there, five meters from her, the Tardis. The door opened and a familiar face appeared at the door. "Susan? Am I glad to see you. We have to get to London, ten minutes ago if you don't mind. Susan smiled and opened the door for Sarah to enter. 

"Quick Doctor we have to get to London now. Or quicker. Unit is under attack, we may already be too late... Bugger me... Did you let Carol Smillie loose in here or something?" Sarah, stood, staring at the redesigned console room. She stopped as the passing time caught up with her, "quick Doctor we need to move. Where are you?" she looked around the console room, there was a young man in a kilt, a middle aged couple holding hands, Susan was at the controls and. In the chair, "Doctor? Is that you?" The old figure smiled, that grin would give him away whichever body he had.

"Hello Sarah, how have you been? I know you're worried but please try to be calm. It is all in hand, for now. K9 and Tegan are helping UNIT, for the time being that will be enough. First, there is something I must do. I should have done it sooner, but even I couldn't have handled the consequences of theses actions before now." The Doctor seemed so weak, so tired. "But now, I am free to do as I wish, to do what I need to do, and to damnation with the consequences." With that, he stood up and walked to the console. "Susan, step away please. You can have nothing to do with this. I am beyond punishment now, They can do as the please, But I need to do this." Susan looked at her grandfather and nodded. As she stepped away from the console, Sarah grabbed her and practically dragged her from the room.

After a long walk, they entered another room and Sarah turned to Susan and asked "What the hell is going on?" Is he about to regenerate again or something, what is he doing? He looks so ill." Susan glanced over her shoulder at the distant outline of the console and the smaller shape of her grandfather at the controls.

"He's dying Sarah." She looked back at the shocked expression on Sarah Janes face. "He has been given leave by the President of the Timelords to bring guests to a ceremony on Galiffrey, where his consciousness will join with so many other great timelords as part of the pantropic net, that governs and maintains the matrix. But first, he has something to do that may well make that offer void. He is about to break our most sacred law. The normal punishment for that is death, but as he sees it, he is going to die soon anyway, so why worry."

"But, can't the timelords do anything for him, can't they heal him or regenerate him again? From what he told me, they are nearly all powerful." Sarah could not hide the hint of desperation in her voice.

"No Sarah, the timelords are not all powerful, even we must die. It is the way of the universe. But this offer, the President has made to him, it would mean that his mind would live, all that made him who he is, would live on. But he is willing to risk that on one act of folly." Susan gaped at Susans words, "isn't that just so like him?" A thin smile spread accross Susans mouth as Sarah smiled in return. 

At the console, the Doctor was working the controls as though deep in thought, he was even mumbling to himself, "compensate for spacial and temporal drift" and "inverse tachyon fluxes". Ian, Barbara and Jamie just looked on, completely lost in everything that had transpired since the Doctor had re-entered their lives.

"So, uhm, Jamie? Right?" Ian asked? Jamie nodded. "I'll bet you're glad we pulled you out of Culloden before the battle started eh?" Jamie frowned. "I mean, The English forces were immense compared to yours." Jamie's frown deepened, Ian noticed the scowl and quickly stepped away from the topic, "so how was the weather there?" Ian tried.

"Don't mind him Jamie, I'm Barbara and this is my husband, Ian. We used to travel with the Doctor too, we saw some wild sights on our travels, Daleks, Thals, the Menoptra." Jamie seemed to brighten a little with the change of subject.

"Aye, those Dalek beasties were nasty bits of work, but at least you could run up the steps to get away from them" Jamie smiled as Ian and Barbara smirked. "The Cybermen, now they were real nasty so and so's. And the Yetis what a nightmare they were."

"Yetis?" Barbara asked.

"Aye, they tried to take over some wee monastary in Tibet and then tried again by invading the London Underground." Jamie seemed to enjoy talking of all the creatures he had faced, so Ian and Barbara just let him continue. "Then there was the..." Jamie's sentence went unfinished as the Tardis landed with it's usual thud.

"Stay here, all of you." The Doctor said as he hit the switch to open the doors, and began moving towards them. Jamie looked at Ian and Barbara, then began to follow the Doctor. Without even looking back, the Doctor shouted, "that includes you Jamie." Jamie stopped in his tracks as the Doctor closed the doors behind him as he left the ship. 

"...I'll never know if I was right" Adric was saying to himself as the Doctor entered the freighters flight Deck. 

"Adric, come with me, now. The Doctor shouted. Adric turned

"Who are y..?"

"Questions later, now hurry up, before there is no later." Adric followed the old man out of the door and saw the Tardis sitting serenely among the carnage, the fallen humans and cybermen alike in the hallway. The old man opened the doors and held them open for Adric to pass through.

The Doctor followed Adric into the Tardis, before he closed the doors though, he gazed off for a moment and then certain that his other task was done, he closed the doors and dematerialised. 

The same Tardis  
The same moment  
Different players   
"Adric!" Cried Nyssa, anguished beyond belief as she saw the freighter crash into the Earth, with Adric aboard. The Doctor gazed into nothing for a moment. The message had been received.

London

The shattered remains of the Dorchester Hotel

"I want all units armed with armour piercing rounds and anti tank rockets. NOW" Ace yelled at pvt Piper. "If there are Daleks in the area, I want to be ready for them."

"So you've faced the Daleks before then?" Asked Tegan of the soldier shouting the orders in every direction.

"Yeah, nasty little buggers, had a dance with a few of them back in 1963." That was all Ace felt inclined to tell this woman until she knew more about her and her tin mutt. 

"1963? But you don't look old enou... Ah, was the Doctor involved?" Tegan asked. "Oh wait of course he was, he always manages to land the Tardis in the thick of it, just before the proverbial hits the fan." Tegan looked at the soldier who now seemed to be scrutinising her. "Oh how rude of me, My name's Tegan Jovanka, I travelled with the Doc for a while, and this is K9, an almost mobile computer unit." K9 whimpered slightly at the comment.

"I'm Dorothy McShane, but any friend of the professo, I mean the Doctor, can call me Ace." Ace smiled at the new found allies. "So what are you doing here? You hear about this on the news or something? Damn reporters."

"Uhm, no. I got a phone message from Sarah Jane Smith, she used to work with the Doctor in UNIT, she was doing some undercover work in South America, Peru, I think. She called to say that someone, or something had set UNIT up for a big fall, and that this reunion was on the hit list." Tegan paused, "So I grabbed K9 and got here as quick as I could, had to dodge a few of your roadblocks on the way in though."

"Mistress Ace!" K9 said. "It would be remiss of me to omit the fact that the Daleks themselves never used the explosive Dalekanium. It was devised by a professor, working with the human resistance during the Daleks first conquest of this world. Unfortunately in the quantities he managed to produce, the explosive was woefully inadequate to subdue the Dalek force." 

"When will this invasion take place? Do you know?" Ace asked, hunching next to K9.

"The exact date of the invasion is not in my memory banks, but the Doctor arrived in 2150, when the occupation had already been in place for some years." 

"Ace? You don't think this could be the start of it do you? The first strike?" Tegan sounded worried as she asked. 

"Could be. It would make sense. UNIT is the organisation set up to combat alien intrusions, so if you were and alien planning on invading, wouldn't you take that organisation out first?" 

"Mistress, human lifesigns approaching from within the ruins." They all turned to see who was coming out. It was a UNIT rescue team, carrying three people on stretchers. One of them, Tegan and Ace recognised instantly as Lethbridge Stewart, the other two were women. Ace recognised one of them.

"Doris... Is she ok? She practically shouted at the rescue team.

"She's unconcious, but there don't appear to be any life threatening injuries." Private Adams, a field medic, continued to carry Doris down to one of the waiting ambulances.

"Let me up you idiot. Can't you see I'm fine" Jo Grant struggled with the hands trying to restrain her. "Are you some kind of special idiot, bred specifically to ruin peoples lives?"

Ace smirked as it sank in. The Brigadier had talked about her. It's alright private Turner, she sounds fine to me let her up." Turner did as he was ordered and malked away mumbling to himself about how the world hated him. "Ms Grant, sorry about that, it's just he's a little over enthusiastic, likes to do things his way and to hell with everyone else.."

"Yeah, well, If I ever see him again, I'll probably be up on a murder charge. It's just as well he joined up after I left." Jo took the hand proffered by Ace and stood up. My God, look what they've done to the place." Jo was just taking another breath to speak again when... 

"Alert... Alert... Chronometric displacement. Time field distortion detected." As he spoke K9 took a defensive position in front of Tegan, Ace and Jo. His Blaster protruded from the front of his nose and aimed at nothing. "Arrival imminent. The noise was a little quieter than they all remembered, and the lightning was a new touch, but they all recognised instantly the materialisation sounds of a Tardis. They all waited expectantly, waiting for the familiar form of a police telephone box to appear. They were dissappointed. A simple grey box appeared in front of them. It was the right size for the Tardis, but it felt wrong. The Door opened and a figure appeared at the door. A young woman, wearing flowing robes, and looking very uncomfortable in them. She saw the others staring back at her and gasped.

"K9? but how can this be?

K9 pwered down his blaster and acknowledged the new arrival. "Mistress Leela. I am K9 mark 3, created by the Doctor as a companion for Sarah Jane Smith, some three years after your decision to remain on Galiffrey."

Leela stepped gingerly from the Tardis, followed by a man in a uniform that Tegan recognised instantly to be that of the Chancellory guard on Galiffrey. They were both followed from the Tardis by... K9?

I am Leela, warrior of the Sevateem, this is the man who will be my husband, Andred, and I think you know K9. Or at least, you know one of him. We have been summoned to this time and place by the Doctor, is he here?" 

"Not as yet," replied Ace, "but I'm figuring he won't be far behind you. And one more thing, if those tin mutts start sniffing each others arses, I may be forced to shoot them." Both K9's looked at her. 

Location: Unknown  
Time: Unknown

Two shadowed figures stand around a glowing ball. The ball is strange only in the fact that it is not lighting up the room. The shadows seem to prevade every part of the surrounding space, and fill the room, as if no light ever had, or ever could penetrate them.

"All is proceeding as planned"

"Yes my lord" 

"Good. soon, he will arrive and our agents will destroy him,"

"But my lord, if the 'other' interferes, our planning will be for nothing."

"Even if he does show the courage to intervene, even he is too late. Give the order to begin the assault."

"Yes my Lord, our agents are moving into position now..."

"Then, all we need do is wait. and watch." 

Earth  
London  
The remains of the Dorchester Hotel 

"Well, The Doctor's fan club are all here. So what does he think he's doing? Where the devil is he?" Lethbridge Stewart had finally managed to fend off his 'nursemaid' with a few choice words. "Damned Americans, always doing unnecesary medical procedures on themselves, now they're starting over here as well. She could have killed me, poking around like that. Who the hell recommended her as a UNIT medic?"

"A personal letter from the Doctor sir." Replied Ace, "she apparently killed him, but he got better. He pretty much said it wasn't really her fault." Ace could see the Brigadiers face shifting slightly, from annoyance to a slight smirk.

"So where is he then? The worlds in danger, he should have reared one of his heads by now." His comment garnered half smiles from the nervous assembly.

The K9 which had arrived with Leela approached th Brigadier. "You are Alistair Gordon Lethbridge Stewart?" K9 asked matter of factly. The Brigadier nodded, slightly bemused by K9's appearance. "I have a message for you from the Doctor Master. If you will follow me, it is for you alone." K9 began moving around the debris to a spot some distance from the group. The Brigadier followed, impatient to know what the Doctor had to say for himself.

The rest of the assemblage, lloked on as they saw the Brigadier reacting to whatever it was that K9 was telling him. He walked back after a few moments, a look of shock on his face. Ace would almost have sworn there was a tear in his eye. But it was quickly replaced by a steely look of a determined man. "Ace we need every man here right now. Call the minister, have her second as many regulars as she can spare right now. Contact UNIT HQ in Geneva, have them evacuate the building and head for secure location alpha 44 delta. We need every member of the UNIT personnel out here ready to fight, draft in from foreign branches if you have to. Use security protocol, omega, omega, red. Tell them we are facing an apocalypse situation here. Also tell them that I am taking personal charge of this under regulation.." 

"I don't need the reg number Brigadier, if they don't like it, I'll personally crack their skulls for 'em." Ace hurried off to the mobile command centre to relay Lethbridge Stewarts commands. The Brigadier now did genuinely smile.

"Right, civillians, I want you out of here, as far as the Doctor could tell me, any location north of Watford is about to become a Warzone, so I want you all out of here."

"Yeah, and I want next weeks lottery numbers, it aint going to happen!" Tegan stood defiantly before the Brigadier.

"As a warrior of the Sevateem and as a friend of the Doctors, I will not run from a fight." Leela grabbed Andreds hand and stood with Tegan.

"And so say you all?" The group nodded. "Just like he said. OK, Andred is it?" Andred nodded in reply. "Well you take Leela and one of the K9's up there to the Northern command post and stay there. Nothing is to get past you, understand?"

"We understand you loud one" Leela said as she started towards the command post.

Miss Jovanka, if you, and your K9 would like to come with me. I think I have some ministerial feathers to ruffle, and a City to evacuate. Ms Grant, will you join us?" Jo was standing to attention even before the Brigadier finished the sentence. The Brigadier smiled, but inwardly he prayed that the Doctor knew what he was doing. These people weren't chess pieces to be played and lost, but then he chastised himself. No one knows that better than the Doctor himselves.

"Ms Lambert, If you do not evacuate Greater London, you will end up with a casualty list the likes of which have not been seen since Hiroshima and Nagasaki. No I am not exaggerating. A major invasion force will be here any moment. We need all of your available personnel here now. We also need to have the city cleared of civillians. No I don't know how long the operation will take, yes it will involve damage to property, yes it will involve the loss of lives. I am trying to limit those losses, but you seem determined to stop me at every turn. No I don't care. The PM could be enjoying coitus with his wife, three secretaries and fourteen undersecretaries for all I care, just tell him what's going on and get him the hell out of London, along with the rest of the population."

"Alert. Alert. Matter displacement detected. Teleportation device is in operation. Probability of incoming hostiles, very high." K9 was again in motion. attemting to triangulate the locus of the teleportation beam. "Multiple incoming hostiles. Species... Dalek"

You know what's coming don't you?

Yep, that's right

To be continued...


	4. Chapter 4

The Tardis  
The Time Vortex

"Are you really the doctor? You don't look like the Doctor. Have you regenerated AGAIN?" Adric just couldn't keep the questions in. The Tardis was in motion, spinning through space time as if dancing to it's own music.

"To answer your questions Adric, Yes, and Several times. I have just broken the cardinal law of Timelord society and all you can do is ask me questions. Never change Adric!" The Doctor turned again to the Tardis controls and flicked a switch. The rotor stopped. The humming stopped. In fact all of the normal Tardis sounds stopped. "Now I can catch my breath and think things through." The Doctor said as he sagged into his chair."

"What do you mean, think things through? Don't you realise that someone is out to kill every single one of your friends in UNIT? Or do you just not care anymore?" Sarah was angry, she stood glaring accusingly at the Doctor, as he sat calmly in his chair.

"Sarah Jane, someone is trying to kill me, before my time." The Doctor half sighed. "I need to let this play out until I know for certain who it is. Then I can act. UNIT have enough resources to look after themselves for a time. This whole scenario is all about timing. If I show my hand too early, well, it could be the end of everything. And I've just been there not so long ago, trust me it is pretty, but you wouldn't want to live there. Ha, ha. Not that anything would, for long."

"Do you have any idea who it is? Who's trying to kill you?" Asked Barbara.

"I have a list of names, but even if I wrote them all down in very small letters, the list would still be longer than my arm. But I do have a few prime candidates. Whoever it is, has to be pretty powerful indeed. With resources the likes of which I have yet to fathom. I have annoyed one or two creatures like that in my time, you know." The Doctor half smiled again.

"So do you have any idea, when this mysterious foe is going to show?" Ian asked matter of factly. 

"As another of my travelling companions would probably say, the proverbial dog pooh is about to hit the fan any 'time' now." 

Earth  
London  
The fighting is about to begin...

"Open Fire." Lethbridge Stewart was ready for this, he would never admit it to another living soul, but he lived for this. As he heard the gunfire from all around him, he almost smiled.

"Aim for the eyepiece. They're vulnerable there. Get the Rockets up here, take those pepper pots to the scrap yard." Ace also felt in her element. Ordering the wholesale destruction of invading hordes is what she felt she was born to do.

"Cease firing, we come in, in, in, peace." The word coming from the lead Dalek sounded no less alien to it as it did to those assembled to fight against them. "We mean you no harm. We are here as allies against a common foe." The UNIT forces were not sure how to react to this, some of the men stopped firing. Many of them, never having met a Dalek before, had only learned about them in training and it didn't quite equate with the rather pathetic looking creatures in front of them.

The Brigadier took a step forward and raised his hand above his shoulder, and the firing stopped. Ace ran over to him, breaking cover, but she realised she could have just walked, as the Daleks seemed totally disinterested in her. Instead, they seemed to be looking for something, or someone. "I am Brigaider Lethbridge Stewart, in command of the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce. You are known hostiles, why should we believe you are here on a mission of peace?" The Brigadier noticing that nothing was firing at him, took another step towards the Daleks. "If you are not here to attack, why are you here?"

The lead Dalek, for the first time turned to look at him. "We have detected an anomoly in space time and were sent to investigate. The anomoly originates in this time frame, but it will expand, and eventually, Dalek interests will be affected. We have been sent to ensure the survival of the Dalek species. It was decided that this directive would neccesitate the assistance of your forces to succeed." The supreme Dalek, has decreed this, we must obey."

"Curiouser and curiouser." Ace said as she joined the Brigadier in front of the Dalek force. "Do you know what will cause the anomoly?" She added, still suspicious of the true reason for the Dalek visit.

"Our sensors were unable to lock onto the exact source or time that the anomoly began. We sought the assistance of the Time Lords of Galiffrey, but their world was gone. It would appear that their world was the target of the anomoly. Our subject worlds were caught in the backwash. Two thirds of the Dalek fleet were wiped out in mere nano seconds, as though they had never existed. Your world will also be affected, it will be reduced to a lifeless husk."

"So, out of nothing but complete self interest, you are here to 'help' us? Ha, do you think I was born yesterday? Where is the rest of your attack force? When will they..."

"You will be exterminated." With those words, the Brigadier dove for cover, grabbing Ace as he did so. The pair landed in a heap, but they were still alive. The Brigadier was about to shout for firing to resume, when he noticed that the Daleks were not firing at him or his men, instead at something above him. He looked up...

"What in the blue blazes?" He grabbed Ace's radio. "This is Greyhound one, all forces open fire on that thing. I don't want a trace of it left." He heard the order being put into effect as he stood up, looking upwards at the mass of, of whatever it was that was hovering over the London Skyline. It was almost gelatenous in form, pulsating and undulating in some some unheard rhythm. He heard Dalek weapons and gunfire merging into a cacophony of death, all aimed above him. Then he heard a whirring at his feet, he looked down to see one of the K9's there.

"Master. There is no purpose in this weapons fire. It is not affecting the creature, and it does not seem to be attacking us. Further analysis is reccomended."

"Can you carry out that analysis, K9? Save us a bit of time?"

"I have been attempting to do so, but the creature is shielded somehow, I can only get a sense of intelligence from it. It appears to be waiting."

"For what?"

"For me, I think Alistair." The Brigadier spun around and saw an old man approach him, with a strange group around him. "Before you ask the same questions as everyone else, yes it's me. Yes, I've regenerated again, and again. And it's time this nonsense was ended."

"Hello Timelord" came a voice a little in the distance. The Doctor narrowed his eyes as he strained to see the owner of the voice. Then his eyes widened. 

"I should have known. Who else could it have been. Again, your fascination with me has driven you to an act of sheer lunacy."

"Perhaps Doctor, but you didn't think, I could let you just die of old Age do you? No, you must die at my hands."

The figure stepped closer still and the Brigadier finally saw who it was...

"Omega..." 

It is a universal truth, that when the shit hits the fan, it doesn't get evenly distributed.

Earth  
London  
Now 

"You are an enemy of the Dalek Race, by order of the Supreme Dalek, you are to be Exterminated." With that pronouncement, the Daleks began firing on Omega. Their Plasma based weaponry arcing through the air leaving only the stench of ozone to mark their passing.

Three blasts hit Omega sqarely in the chest, he staggered slightly and began to laugh. "Foolish mortal machine creatures, I am Kin to the Universe now, you seek to destroy me with toys and lights, well, see how light should be used." Beams of light flared from the points on his helmet that would, were he not incorpreal beneath it, have been his eyes.

"You see Doctor, I am no longer the pitiful creature, I was when last we met. Now I have accepted my power, and with that acceptance, I have become more powerful than anyone in existance." Omega began walking slowly around the assembled group of would be defenders and laughed. Til he reached the Brigadier. "I know you, do I not? You were with the fool Doctor, the first time he tricked me, and almost destroyed me. You will of course die for your trespasses against me."

Tegan shuddered as Omega reached her. "Why Miss Jovanka, is your faith in him as strong as it was, when last we met. He is old now, an I am infinitely more powerful now. Do you fear me? Do you wish me dead? It matters not, your very existence will soon be an irrelevant footnote in history."

"If you are as powerful as you claim, why do we still live?" Leela approached Omega, completely unafraid, she circled him like a cat toying with her prey. "Why do you talk, instead of killing us. talk is for the weak. You reak of weakness. Hiding behind your bluster and your talk of power. Where is the power?" Andred struggled with her to get her to stop, he only just managed it, after anchoring himself to a lamp post.

"You know Doctor? I almost like this one. Almost. Child, you will die, as this world will die, when the time is right. When gallifrey is in perfect allignment with this rock you call a planet. When with one fell swoop, I can destroy not only you, but my bastard children as well. The ones who abandoned me. The ones who should have revered me. The ones who forgot me." Omega turned and stalked away from the group, "soon, they will remember me, and shortly after they do, they will be gone, to dust."

"Yes, but you want me out of the way first, dont you? That is why you set this whole thing up? To bring me out into the open, for one final battle, before your 'victory'. Well, here I am Omega, come and get me." The Doctor took a few steps towards Omega, and suddenly Omega was almost on top of him. Towering above the Doctor Omega laughed.

"Are you sure you want this Timelord? Your death could be quick and painless, like theirs" He motioned to the group assembled by the Doctor. "But if you choose this route, there will be only pain, until, you eventually die." Omega looked at the Doctor and saw not even a flicker of fear or doubt in his eyes. "Very well, then." The two stared at each other and there was a tangible sense of dread and anger in the air. And the two of them were gone. Their figures remained, but their minds were elsewhere. Readying for one final battle.

The mindscape  
The realm where reality meets fantasy, and everything in between.

Omega stood resplendent in a shimmering golden suit of armour. The Doctor a few 'feet' away was almost as dazzling in a suit of tempered steel and mail, polished to such a degree that omega could see his reflection. "En guard Omega" the Doctor shouted as he let loose the first salvo in a psychic battle of wills.

The real world  
Earth  
London 

The group of former companions were ill at ease. Many of them knew what was happening, but some were still having trouble getting to grips with it all. "You say his body is here, yet his mind is elsewhere battling the Doctor? I say we stick a knife in him and end this right now." The Brigadier and Jamie didn't have a problem allowing Leela to carry this out.

"Leela, Omega is made of Anti matter, all that keeps that in check is the armour he wears. Pierce that, and the universe could well be destroyed." Andred hoped she would understand. At first she seemed not to care, more eager to help the Doctor in any way she could, but then she relaxed her stance a little. Andred smiled, she could never fully relax, even when they were alone together. This was as close to calm as he had ever seen her.

"Adric, I can't believe the Doctor went back to get you, don't get me wrong I'm bloody glad he did." Was all Tegan could manage to say before the tears started flowing. Adric, who was for the most part completely oblivious to the fact that he shouldn't be there, just held Tegan until her sobbing became more controlled and quieter.

"Right you miserable excuses for soldiers, I want a head count, anyone unaccounted for, I want to know about it. We need more artillery, we can't be sure what that thing is capable of. If it can do what it says it can, we're going to need bigger guns." This was Ace's version of a rallying call. The men under her command all scurried around finding the largest guns they could and getting them ready for use.

"Well done Ace, never heard an inspirational speech like it. Fair brought a tear to me eye." The Brigadier smiled as Ace spun around and saluted. "No need for that right now, we have a Universe to save. any ideas?" Ace shook her head in a rather dejected manner. "Right, I forgot, the Doctor's are the ideas men." 

Barbara held Ian tightly, "Do you think he'll do what he said he would? Destroy our world just to get back at another?" 

"I don't know sweetheart, but I do know, that if anyone can stop him, it's the Doctor."

Jamie, for his part, said nothing. He simply stared at the scenario before him and tried through will power alone, to help the Doctor in his desperate fight to the end.

Sarah Jane knelt next to one of the K9's "So what do you guys make of this? Is there anything we can do to help?" 

The other K9 replied. "We are currently hypothesising new methods of anti matter containment, that may be useful in stopping the Omega creature. But the timescale for completion is at least 20 standard years." Sarah smiled and patted both k9's on their heads.

Grace was busy tending to the injured still being brought out of the hotel, but she couldn't shake the thoughts that were entering her mind. "Is that old man, really the Doctor? The man with whom, only four years ago she helped save the Universe with?"

So wrapped in their own thoughts, the materialisation of another Tardis shaped box went alomost unnoticed. Almost. The K9s were suddenly on the move, blasters raised and ready. The doors of the craft suddenly opened and Tegan was the first to notice the flowing robes of a Timelord. One of the K9's powered down his blaster and said "Welcome mistress."

Romana, Lady President of the High Council of the Timelords, looked down and simply said "Hello K9's, your third self will be out presently." Adric ran towards her with arms outstretched to hug the new arrival, but an arm appeared from inside the ship, that held him in place. The arm was attatched to a man, wearing a similar uniform to Andreds. "Loran, release my friend". Romana ordered. The captain of the Presidential guard immediately complied. "Adric, it is so nice to see you looking so, well, alive. I must have words with the Doctor about that. Where is he by the way?" Adric turned and motioned to where the Doctor stood, for all intents and purposes having a staring match with Omega. "Oh, I see." Romana said flatly.

The mindscape.

"Do you admit defeat Doctor? I can still make your death swift."

"Shut up Omega." The Doctor cried as he let loose a volley of psychic energy, that if it had been physical, would have reduced the Himalayas to gentle foothills. Omega barely flinched.

"Enough of this." Omega sounded angry and rushed. "This will end now. But not here."

The real world  
Two minutes ago 

The Doctor sagged as his consciousness returned to the aged shell he called his body. Omega unfortuantely was not so physically challenged.

You have fought well Timelord, but your time is at an end.

Omega, let loose the beams of energy from his eyes once more and they struck the Doctor as one. The Doctor crumpled and was gone.

"He's dead" cried Susan as she ran to where her Grandfather fell.

All of the companions were in shock, as though physically struck, as one, they staggered backwards. Even Romana looked phased by the situation.

The Doctor is dead.

All hope is lost

All that is left is an Echo...


	5. Chapter 5

If an echo is loud enough, it can sound like anothers voice... 

Earth  
London  
Now

"The time is nearly upon us, my mortal fools. Soon you will be witness to the utter destruction of your world and of the world of the Insipid Timelords. They will cease to be. And the Universe, what is left of it, will be mine." Omega laughed loudly.

"Why do they always laugh? Is it some kind of mental disorder no one bothered to tell me about?" Adric said, though his voice sounded odd. 

"We never get any of the memo's" Leela had joined Adric, standing in front of Omega. Her voice also sounded far off and distant.

"We're just out of the loop I suppose, all the travelling we do." Tegan had joined the others. They turned and nodded agreeing with her statement.

"I knew I should have invested in one of those mobile phones" It was Barbara this time.

"With the snazzy little camera" Ace asked, her voice, like the others, almost a ventriloquists whisper.

"Of course not. The folly of the young." Ian had come forward to join the Band.

Susan now stepped forward, "But even a basic model, I could have souped it up somehow, put in a polaric regulator, or a..."

The Brigadier harrumphed. "None of you have improved with Age. You," he pointed squarely at Susan "are still nothing but a dandy."

"I say old chap, that is rather harsh" Jamie had joined the arguement. 

"And you are still a clown." The Brigadier snapped. 

"Well now, look at us, we're fighting over a trivial thing while the whole universe needs saving. We'll never change will I? Not really? Come on Romana, where are the Jelly Babies, did I teach you nothing? Romana sounded even odder than the others, addressing herself in the third person.

Grace now stepped forward, "Well boys, and I suppose, technically girls, shall we do what we were summoned here to do?"

"Yes, let's" Said Jo Simply.

"What is this, the fight back of the fleas? I can destroy you all, before you take another step." 

Elsewhere  
A Dark place

"You fool Omega! I give you one simple task and you fail miserably. Count them, count them."

Earth

"We are, at the moment more than we appear to be Omega." Said the Brigadier. "One on one, you could best us easily, but with the thirteen of us combined, we will stop you forever."

"Thirteen? Thirteen? Why you sneaky little timelord, how ever did you manage it?"

"With a little help from a powerful friend" Said Adric, as the battle began again.

The mindscape 

Not one of Omega's choosing though.

Omega found himself in a field in rolling picturesque landscape, there were birds in the sky and the sounds of cattle nearby.

"Show yourselves."

"But of course." Omega spun around to locate the owner of the voice. He found the young Doctor before him, the one whos body he had tried to hijack.

"We would never keep you waiting Omega." Another voice from behind him, another Doctor, this one wearing gaudy clothes, with a wild mane of golden curly hair.

"It would be rude of us" A shorter one this time, in a brown coat, with question marks upon the lapels.

"And if there is one thing we abhor, it's rudeness." This one had another shock of curls and a toothy smile that seemed to be endless.

Then there were the two, that Omega hated above all others. The short clown, and the tall idiot. "I'm sorry if we kept you waiting, we had some catching up to do."

They were joined, by others, nondescript ones. One who wore no outre clothing, merely a mid length leather jacket, jeans and a shirt.

Until finally, The original came into view. Omega, had never met him, but the telepathic presence was unmistakeable. "Now this ends, for good."

Omega found himself bombarded with psychic blasts from all directions, he staggered, and roared like a wounded animal. "I will not die like this. If I am to die, You will all come with me to the great beyond."

"But, Omega, don't you remember, we're already there. You killed me." it was the final one who had spoken. The thirteenth incarnation of the Accursed Doctor. Omega focussed on him and fired a blast of psychic energy so massive, the entire mindscape trembled. The thirteenth Doctor vanished, like a candle snuffed by a hurricane, he just wasn't there anymore.

In the real world

Adric keeled over, and died, never knowing what had hit him. Or rather, what had hit the current occupant of his mind.

In the Mindscape, the remaining Doctors, closed ranks and continued their mental bombarment of Omegas defences. "You're weakening Omega!" The first Doctor stated matter of factly, "Soon you will fall, for the final time." Omega tried in vain to regain the upper hand, unleashing a devestating bolt of mental energy at his approaching enemies. The fifth doctor waved it away with his hands as though meeting a cricket ball with a bat. "You see Omega, even your most powerful bolts have no effect any more." 

"No, I will not be defeated by you Timelord. I am Omega. I am Power. I am righteous vengance. I am Destruction incarnate" Omega cried, with none of his former vigour present in his voice. 

"No, you are a fragment, a dark shadow facing the light at last. You died long ago Omega, only your stubborness and thirst for vengance has kept you alive." The third Doctor, with his other selves moved in on Omega, "It ends here, now, forever." With those words, all of the Doctors stopped and as one unleashed one final barrage. Omega crumpled to the ground of the constructed world. 

"If I am to die here, today. You all will die with me. I shall make sure of it." Omega's armour began to crack and split, like foil torn in the hands of a child. The Doctors came closer together as though vying for the best view of events. The world they were in started to crumble much as Omega was at that moment. The world collapsed and caved in on itself as one of the cracks in Omega's armour turned into a gaping hole and light leaked out, devestating light, that spread and obliterated all that it touched. 

The real world  
London

All of the companions came together over Adrics fallen body, his prone form, lying without a mark on it, "he just died." Ace said. She could think of nothing more than that.

"How can someone just 'die'?" Tegan practically screamed. "I can't lose him again, someone help him!"

Grace ran over to where Adric had fallen and looked for the boys pulse. There was none. "Crash cart now" she shouted to the med techs, "I said NOW!" As the small cart was dragged towards her, she was ripping Adrics tunic to make way for the defibrilators paddles. She breathed into the boys mouth and snatched the paddles from the medtech, "everyone stand clear."

Susan was still staring at Omega and the frail old man who was her Grandfather, she noticed the shell, that was Omega was starting to crack. "Uh oh. Uhm everyone. Omega's losing it. His will is losing containment of the Anti-matter."

Everyone except Grace and Tegan looked over, as they saw light shining through the crack in the armour. 

"Oh Hell!" Ace commented. 

"Oh shit!" Ace gasped as the tear in Omega's armour became larger and larger. "It's not going to hold much longer. Any ideas would be appreciated right about now."

Romana darted to the Tardis in a very un-presidential way, her guards raced to follow her.

"Bitch" thought Tegan, as she saw Romana dart off.

"I want all non essential personnel out of here" Bellowed the Brigadier as Unit staff scurried to carry out his order. "What can we do?" He looked at everyone and no-one in particular. Blank and panicked faces looked back at him. "Just as I suspected. So this is where it all ends then?" 

"You always were the pessimist of the group Alastair!" A weak voice said from somewhere behind him. The Brigadier turned to see Susan standing looking directly at him with an intensity he had only ever seen from one person.

"Doctor? Is it you?" He began. Just as the sound of a Tardis' dematerialisation filled the air like an enraged dinosaur. Every member of the assembly turned and stared at Romana's Tardis, waiting to see it disappear. Instead, they saw the doors open and Romana fly from the vehicle with her guards hot on her heels as always.

"Everybody get down, NOW!" She shouted over the din. Her Tardis seemed to be spinning on it's axis and then inverting itself, and then it was gone, but only for a second as it reappeared where Omega had been standing, and then vanished again. As the noise faded and the ringing in the groups ears abated Romana stood up as elegantly as possible and began dusting herself off. "Well, now that that's over, let's get back to the business in hand shall we?"

Susan smiled as she simply said, "that's my girl" and fainted dead away. The Brigadier valiantly caught her falling form and brought her gently to the ground.

"Medic, now!" He could feel his voice going, he hadn't done this much shouting since, well, since the last time the Doctor showed up. "Is there a conection I wonder?" He thought to himself as Dr Holloway dashed to his side and began feeling Susan's pulse.

"Her pulse is very weak and erratic. What happened to her?"

"Weak and erratic by your standards perhaps, but she is a Timelord." Romana took Susans other wrist and began feeling for a pulse. She looked up at the people who had gathered around her. "Where is the Doctor's Tardis, her pulse is weak and erratic. She needs medical help from Gallifrey." Jamie, darted forward and picked Susan's frail form up from where she lay.

"I know where the Tardis is, follow me." He led the group towards a side alley and there, in the shadows stood the familiar form of the Doctor's Tardis. "Does anyone have a key?"

"Open up old girl, it's me" Susan's voice barely more than a whisper reached the Tardis, and the doors opened to allow them access. Jamie ran through the console room which he thought seemed to shrink to accomodate the urgency of the situation. He reached one of the bedrooms and lay Susan's prone form on the bed. The lights dimmed slightly, as if to make the atmosphere more conducive to recovery as Grace made her way to the bed.

In the console room, Romana began operating the controls of the Tardis, preparing the craft for take off. "Are we just going to leave the Doctor out there?" Tegan asked as she stepped between Romana and the dematerialisation controls.

"The Doctor isn't out there." Lethbridge Stewart said, matter of factly. "He's in Susan's body. Just like he was in all of ours." 

"All of them? In one body? Oh no. It's worse than I thought." romana physically shoved Tegan out of the way and hit the switch that would put the Tardis in flight. "We have to get him out of there, before we lose them all! As a stopgap we can get them to the zero room."

"Uhm, we had to eject the zero room quite a while ago now." Tegan said in an oddly (for her) hushed voice.

"WHAT? Oh that's just brilliant. We have a journey time of 8 relative minutes, and they're 8 minutes the Doctors don't have."

"Can't the Tardis make another one of these zero rooms? It seems to have restructured itself quite well." Sarah Jane asked.

"No, the Tardis can create any number of standard rooms to fill it's near infinite dimensions, but the zero room is a one off. Individually designed and installed to exacting specifications. And without one, the Doctor is doomed and so is his Granddaughter."

Elsewhere... 

"The game is almost over, my old friend."

"Yes, but there is, always time to turn the game around."

"You just can never admit defeat, can you."

"As you cannot. It is in our natures to be thus. We like all others, can only wait and observe events as they unfold before us."

"Yes, and you will soon observe the Doctor's final humiliating death." 

"We shall see. We always do..." 

Gallifrey

"They'll be arriving soon. Is the connection to the APC net ready for the upload?"

"Yes my lord castellan."

"Very good, and the temporal booster?"

"Already pulling them in. They shall arrive within 2 standard minutes."

"I hope the Doctor has those 2 minutes. I would hate for him to die without. Well, just without being given a chance to join our esteemed predeccessors."

"Yes Castellan" The guard stood to attention still, until the Castellan waved him away. 

"Hurry up Doctor, you have saved us at the last minute too many times for us to be unable to return the favour now." The castellan turned to face his fellow High council members as they walked into the chamber.

The Tardis.

"It wasn't our fault. The Master was dragging the Tardis into Event one, you know, THE big bang? We had to lose some mass and the Tardis computer wouldn't allow us to chose which rooms we ejected." Tegan stared fiercely defiant at Romana. With so much fire in her eyes that the Presidential guards were ready to step in to seperate the two women.

"Alright, I wasn't accusing you! Directly. But it's just so inconvenient. The zero room would have been the ideal place for him or her or whatever right now." 

"That's enough!" Barbara, had been watching the exchange from a chair in the console room, but she could take no more. "You both care for the Doctor. Their isn't anyone here who doesn't but this kind of backbiting and recrimination is helping nobody, if the two of you cannot be constructive then just shush." 

"Shush?" Romana rounded on the former school teacher. "I madam, am President of the High Council of the Timelords." Barbara could hear every capital letter in that statement. "I am keeper of the legacy of Rassilon, Defender of the Laws of Time, I will not Shush."

"The last Timelord president I met, tried to kill the Doc." Tegan interjected. "How are we to know they made a better choice this time around?"

"How dare you! You little..." The insult went unworded as the Tardis console began groaning. They were landing. "It's too early, we can't be there yet." Romana sounded almost panicked as she checked the consoles displays. "But we are here, it is Gallifrey. But how?"

"It doesn't matter. Let's just get Susan/The Doctor out there to where someone can help him." Sarah ran to the room that held Susan, Jamie and Grace. Ace and the Brigadier were hovering outside. "OK, we've arrived. We need to move quickly.

Jamie once again single handedly picked Susan from the bed and rushed to the console room and towards the door. The door remained closed until he reached it, when once again The Tardis door opened to an invisible hand. Jamie rushed out, and came face to face with darkness.

Jamie fell. Still he gripped Susan as though not only her life depended on it, but his as well. Then he landed, not as hard as he expected, as though something had broken his fall.

Susan's eyes fluttered open, "Jamie? I think you can unhand me now." It was Susan's voice, but somehow he could hear the Doctor as well. His Doctor, the short man with absolutely no musical ability but the keenest and most securely hidden intelligence in the galaxy. Jamie let Susan go, and stood up. Susan followed suit as soon as she could find her footing. ( A difficult thing to do, when you cannot see exactly what you're standing on, as you appear to be standing on nothing.) "Now where are we? Any of us got any clue?" Susan said to herself. Her voice changed slightly as she replied "I think I've been here before. Or was it after, I lost track years from now." From all around them threre were shouts and screams as their travelling companions, who had also just exited the Tardis, found themselves falling and landing on, whatever it was they were now standing on.

"It is time Doctors." Said a voice from the shadows around them.

"It is always time. You should know that my brother." The second voice came from everywhere and nowhere at once. Then a dazzling light appeared just a few meters in front of the group.

"Oh no. Not them!" Romana looked visibly distressed. "The Guardians."

"As I said, Doctors. It is time." The Black Guardian said as he stepped towards Susan with his hand outstretched.

"Aw no ye don't" said Jamie as he tried to step between the two, but found he couldn't move. The Black Guardian continued unmolested to touch Susan on the forehead.

And suddenly, the Doctor was there. The same Doctor who had gathered all of his old friends together. The final incarnation of the man they all knew as the Doctor. "I would like to thank you, if only I could tell for certain that you did that for altruistic reasons." The Doctor said bluntly to the Black Guardian.

"Altruism? What is that?" The Black Guardian laughed as he stepped away from the Doctor. As he stepped back, Jamie found he could move again and he staggered slightly as his own pent up momentum caught up with him. "Now Doctor, we can begin your trial."  
"My what? What trial?"

"To see if your life has been worthy dear boy." Said the White Guardian. "You are all judged, or so it is said in almost all religions, when you die."

"So I am dead then?"

"That is something we can discuss at, heh, another time." The White Guardian said cryptically. 

The Doctor stood before the two guardians, the two most powerful creatures in the cosmos.  
The figures represented equally all that is good and true, and all that is dark, evil and scheming.

"So, I'm on trial for my afterlife am I? I must say that's a first. For someone like me it's rare to come accross something I haven't seen before."

"Yes Doctor. The trial of your worthiness will begin, NOW!" 

Suddenly their surroundings changed. They were all suddenly in a very cold place. But they couldn't be certain of that. They could see all of the snow around them, but could not feel the cold. Tegan knelt to touch the snow to see if it was real, she formed a snowball and for a second, toyed with the idea of throwing it at Romana.

"That's not the moon is it?" Asked Sarah Jane simply, looking above her to a shadowy  
planetoid hanging in the sky.

"No, it is not the natural satelite of this world, it is the tenth planet of your stellar system."  
The White Guardian stated. "And it happens to be the birthplace of the race known as, The Cybermen."

Suddenly, there was a shimmering light and from the light appeared a Cyberman. "The first witness has been called. State your name please?" Asked the Black Guardian.

"I am the Cyber-controller. How dare you bring me here, the cyberforce will come for me,  
you will all die for this affront."

"You are here as a witness to the events, unfolding around us. This individual here, the Doctor, is partly, perhaps solely, responsible for the destruction of your entire world, is that  
not the case?"

"He is the Doctor?" The Cyber-controller made his way to the Doctor and raised his hand to strike a killing blow, then stopped mid swing. "Release my hand fools! He is the enemy of the Cybermen, He will die for his crimes against the Cyber race"

"Yes, perhaps he will, but it is not for you to decide if that will be the outcome of these events. You will merely tell of the events in question then those facts will be taken into  
account when judgement is passed."

"Very well," The Cyber-controller seemed to adjust to the fact that he was in the presence of forces beyond even his understanding. "The Doctor destroyed our home world of Mondas, in favour of this mud rock on which we now stand. He then procceeded, at a later date, and in another form, to destroy the entire Cyberfleet in space. With no warning, a  
sneak attack. He is evil, the most hated criminal among my race"

"Now at the time your world was destroyed, you were trying forcibly to take this world as a replacement, were you not?"

"We were, expanding our sphere of influence in this sector of space yes. This was the nearest world to our own and therefore the most logical target."

"And when the Doctor destroyed your fleet as it 'innocently hung in space' what was it preparing to do?"

"Launch an attack on Earth!" So matter of fact was the answer, many of the asssembled group gasped incredulously. "It was to become the new home of the Cyber race."

"Thank you, your evidence has been noted" The Cyber controller disappeared as  
quickly as he had arrived. "You attempted to commit genocide Doctor? Not a favourable beginning"

"Our second witness will now appear before us!"

Another flash of light filled the area. As the light diminished, a horribly familiar form took shape, but a little different. A Dalek, with a huge Dome at the top of it's shell. It spoke, "Where am I? I am the Emperor of the Dalek race, you will die for this insolence."

"Oh shut up Davros, after all these years you still haven't tired of the sound of your own voice have you?" The Doctor looked at the new arrival with a look of mixed disdain and pity. "It's me, the Doctor. This is the White Guardian," the Doctor gestred. "And that shadowy individual over there is the Black Guardian. This is a trial of sorts, and you have been called to give evidence, either for or against me. Knowing our history together, it won't be good." 

"Doctor? DOCTOR! You have changed your form again. You do so go through those bodies." The dome swiveled on hinges and exposed the scarred remains of something that looked like it might once have been human. "And this is your trial. Well if your accuser wants the truth, I will be more than happy to provide it."

"Excellent. Tell us of your experiences with the Doctor."

"He is the most hated individual among my people. He destroyed our homeworld of Skaro. He has on numerous occasions thwarted our attempts to extend our empire. He has interfered on a Galactic scale."

"Thank you, your evidence has been noted. Your attendance is no longer required." And with that, Davros was gone.

"The testimony would appear to speak for itself. You are guilty of attempting genocide, and our records show you were found guilty of that crime in a previous trial of your peers. Do you have anything to say that could possibly attempt to mitigate these actions?"

"I was working to save lives. The Cybermen, The Daleks, even the Vervoids, all posed substantial threats to every life in the Cosmos, and had to be stopped. If I had not interfered, trillions of innocent lives could have been lost. The only mitigation is one of pure numbers." 

"We will retire momentarily to consider our verdict" With that, both Guardians vanished.

"Well, this is a rum do!" Ian said. "You save the galaxy seven days a week and this is how some people say thank you. It's unbelievable!"

"I say we fight. They are old, if we all attacked as one..." 

"You would all be swatted like fleas before you made your first step." The Doctor said, "But thank you for the thought Leela. No it seems that this was a kangaroo court, I was convicted before they pulled us out of time."

"Not so Doctor, we kept to certain rules, drawn up when the cosmos was in it's infancy. The decision however has been made, and your continued existence, in any form, cannot be permitted. Your consciousness will be dispersed to the winds of time. You will never have existed." 

"Over my dead body." Tegan stepped forward to come between the Doctor and the White Guardian.

"Mine too, I stand with this one." Leela also stood forward. "Without the Doctor, I would not have met the man I love, and would still be living as a savage or worse, be dead. So I will defend him to my own death if need be."

"As my fiancee said, you want him, you have to go through me!" Andred was soon standing hand in hand with his beloved.

"As President of the High Council, I also stand between you and your aim. I have seen the good that this man has done, and I will not see it undone." One by one all of the Doctors past companions stepped forward till they all stood as one body, in front of the man who had, on so many occasions, saved the Universe itself from total destruction.

"So be it." The Guardian raised his hand to point at the group.

"No! You cannot kill them. I was the one accused, I stand alone." With that, he side stepped the entire group and was suddenly in front of them all.

The White Guardian laughed, "Why Doctor, you never cease to amuse me. You will not be extinguished. But things cannot remain the way they were."

"OK. Now what?" Ace looked from the Doctor to the Guardian.

"You will continue to exist, but as this body has reached its end, You need a new one." With a wave of the Guardian's hand, the Doctor was gone. Replaced by a middle aged man with flowing dark hair, and a youthfull gleam in his eyes. "I believe you will find it an improvement."

"But with this, comes responsibility! You will act as the avataar of all that is good in the Cosmos. Your form has been returned to it's original pattern, you will have 12 regenerations, and then you will be judged again." The Guardian walked around the Doctor. "Begin again my son and keep up the 'good' work."

The main Council chamber, Gallifrey. 

"How the hell did we get here?" Lethbridge Stewart was the first to voice the question.

"You stepped out of the Doctors Tardis mere seconds ago." The answer came from a non descript man in what appeared to be too outre clothing.

"Castellan. Are you saying that we have just arrived here and walked out of the Tardis?"

"Yes my Lady. But surely you jest with me? All is prepared for the Doctor's transference into the Pantropic net." The Castellan said.

"That will no longer be neccesary, I think Castellan." The new Doctor said as he looked around with (literally) new eyes. "I've been given a, heh, new lease on life."

Many Explainations later...

"So now it's time my friends for you all to go back to your respective times. Ian, Barbara, it has been good to see you both again. I assure you, this Tardis works perfectly and will take you exactly where you want to go." Barbara hugged the new Doctor and kissed him on the cheek as both she and Ian stepped into the capsule and it dematerialised. Your turn now Sarah, Tegan. Both women also hugged the Doctor in tandem. Then left in another one of the capsules lined against the wall. One by one they left until only Leela, Andred, Ace, Susan and Jamie remained.

"I will miss you Doctor, but not so much as I would if you were no longer alive. At least now, there is a chance we will see one another again." With that Leela squeezed the Doctor so fiercely, he could barely catch his breath. Andred walked up to the Doctor and shook him by the hand. Then they both entered another Tardis.

"Alasdair, Ace, time to say farewell again, till the next time." Tears welled up in Lethbridge Stewarts eyes as he shook the hand of yet another new Doctor and he walked into the Tardis. "Ace? Aren't you going? Is there somewhen else you'd rather go?"

"Yeah, I'm sticking with you. You need someone to watch your, ahem, new back." 

Jamie stepped forward, "Me too Doctor, if ye don't mind that is."

The Doctor smiled. "It'll be good to have some company again after so long." Ace leapt for joy as she said goodbye to the Brigadier.

The Doctor saw a figure at the door and walked towards it. "so how are you my dear friend?" 

"I cannot face her Doctor, not yet. She is my daughter, and yet she does not know me."

"You could change that. She is mere feet away. I think she is ready for the truth." 

"But I am not. Seeing 'him again'. It brought back so many memories, so much pain. Why could I not warn him? Why?" 

"You know the rules, what has happened must happen. Such is the way it has always been. We cannot change the past."

"I know, but..." The old woman began to sob. The Doctor held her. His shirt absorbing her tears as his soul tried to absorb the pain from her, the loss and the grief. "I am no longer strong. I have lived longer than any of my tribe before me, and I am weak with it." 

"No Leela, never weak. You are still strong enough to bear pain that could be so easily shared with your daughter. She is a fine girl, there is so much of you in her."

"So much of her father also."

"You should be proud of her. Andred would have been. Susan is a wonderful girl. I think she will want to remain here, you could get to know her."

"Perhaps Doctor, but not today. I must away before I am seen and questions are asked that cannot yet be answered." Leela slipped away from the doctor and fled down a corridor and was gone.

"Grandfather? Who was that woman?" Susan asked.

"An old friend. You'll meet her one day. Now, have you decided where you want to go?" 

"I have decided to stay here. Romana is getting me a place in the Academy, as a lecturer. Can you believe it? Me a lecturer. Ha"

"You will do amazing things dear child. You always have." The Doctor hugged Susan as firmly as he could, she had trials ahead of her, and one massive shock as well. 

The Doctor moved towards his Tardis, Ace and Jamie joined him. "So where to now Doctor?" Jamie asked.

"Only fate knows that answer Jamie. Fate is our guiding force as always." 

"Yeah that and the Tardis's faulty guidance system." Ace chipped in.

"Oi!" Said the Doctor as the Tardis dematerialised.


End file.
